Mitigating Shaped Charge Jet Impact

John Niles, Steven Nicolich and Bruce Williamson US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command
Armaments, Research, Development and Engineering Center
Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000

and

Dr. Daniel Doll, Nikki Rasmussen, Steve Bradley and Les Bracken ATK Thiokol
Corrine, Utah 84307

15 November 2004

ATK THIOKOL

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Perspective
Two of the Top Threats to US Forces in Current Operations Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
Car bombs Roadside mines, etc.

Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs)

PG-7 series, 85mm warheads RPG-7 system
PG-7M: 0.68 lb PG-7G: 0.85 lb (most common) PG-7L: 1.50 lb (newest production)

UNCLASSIFIED

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Importance of Defeating SCJ

Most Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) are light and highly susceptible to RPGs
Typical armor is aluminum (except tanks) Reactive armor is heavy and can be neutralized using various tactics Successful attacks are highly dependent upon what is hit
Hitting stowed munitions usually results in loss of platform and personnel Logistic vehicles are even more vulnerable

SCJI-resistant explosives
Catastrophic damage from stowed/transported ammo is avoided Suppression of violent reaction significantly improves probability of survival for personnel and platform Sympathetic detonation will also be suppressed (no detonation, no SD)
SD barriers can be eliminated, reducing weight and allowing more design options

Other IM threats will also be mitigated Attacked logistic vehicles loads may be salvageable

US AFV design constraints limit other options such as barriers or additional armor
C-130 volume and weight envelope: 18 ton maximum
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IM Threat Summary
Thermal Threats (FCO/SCO) Sympathetic Reaction Bullet and Fragment Impact
Threat characteristics understood Mitigation solutions are available Energetics Barriers System design

Shaped Charge Jet Impact

Threat characteristics understood Mitigation solutions not available Barriers not feasible except in main battle tanks Mitigation design features exist for small items only (Spider, etc) IM SCJI test normally assessed to fail (detonation), or, assessed as not a threat! An energetic solution is the only solution and is practical for many applications
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Shaped Charge Warheads

Shaped Charge warheads; used in many weapon systems
Threat Munition Artillery Submunitions Surface to Surface Missile Sub-munitions Shoulder Launched Viper 65mm Shoulder Launched PG- 7 series Anti-Tank Guided Munition Warhead Diameter 20-40mm 50mm 85mm 115mm & up

SCs are used extensively in every conflict SCJ will remain a major threat for the foreseeable future
Larger SCs can be mitigated through tactics (law of diminishing returns) RPGs and smaller SCJs can be mitigated through energetics solutions

The effort to address this threat is long overdue

Iraq: HMMWV That Was Hit With 3 Rocket Propelled Grenades

Bar Armor in Iraq

RPG Attack Baghdad

July 14, 2004 July 14, 2004

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Mitigating SJCI
A rapid response effort is underway to provide munition resistance to shaped charge jet impact using a variant of PAX-21 melt pour explosive
Dense, less energetic additives have been found to suppress the violence of response without compromise of fragmentation performance Specific suppressive mechanism(s) have been identified 81mm, M821A2E1 HE loaded cartridge (mortar) body used as target munition. Explosive candidate has been labeled PAX-35: formulated as a Composition B replacement Type 4 reactions have been obtained against 50mm (Rockeye) threat munition

Efforts continue to improve resistance: threat focus is the PG-7 series 85mm RPG
Smaller SCs will be easily mitigated by this effort Tests are being conducted directly against munition with standoff No conditioning barrier to simulate worst case: attacks on logistics trains (supply trucks, no armor) Follow-on studies will be conducted with armor to assess AFV survivability Additives may work in pressed explosives as well as melt pours Lethality trade-offs may have to be examined for higher performance munitions (no free lunch, just blue plate special)
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Program Approach
Capitalize on initial additive discovery
Identify similar materials Examine additives for optimum characteristics Castability Cost Producibility Formulation optimization IM threat response Develop inexpensive and simple screening tool(s) Perform subscale tests: lethality, IM characteristics, etc. Concentrate on direct munition attack: follow-on w/behind armor effects Downselect best candidate(s) for Castable formulations Pressed formulations

Optimize formulations (starting with PAX-35) Transition to appropriate munitions IM programs

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Optimizing PAX-35
Additive A increases formulation viscosity due to bonding among selected desired molecules Initial PAX-35 formulation with Additive A was castable, but not very pourable
Additive A has potential as a pressable explosive binder material Additive A has been replaced with an improved pourable material (Additive B) that minimizes intermolecular bonding characteristics, but still retains dense, desensitizing chemical moieties

A number of additives with very improved pouring characteristics have been identified and are undergoing down selection for fragmentation munitions

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Desensitizers: Dense and Reduced Energy

Comparison With Typical Binders: IM Without Performance Compromise
The reduced energy additives maintain high C-J pressures and velocities because they contain specific, dense chemical moieties Less energetic binders usually require high amounts of nitramines to maintain performance: may be problematic for SCJ resistance Higher performance explosives require trade-offs between SCJ resistance and lethality
Biner MP (C) Density (g/cc) C-J pressure (GPa) C-J Velocity (km/s)

2,4dinitr oanis ole

96

1.56

16.6 16

6.74

Additive A

96

1.5

6.654

Additive B

92

1.7

15.5
3.09 12.2

6.477

HTPB

cure

0.907

3.916

CAB/BDNPAF press

1.32

6.271

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Shaped Charge Jet Impact

Test Screening Tool

3 x 5-in. Schedule 80 Pipe and 25mm Shaped Charge

Reaction type is determined by evaluating damage to witness plates and the pipe
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25mm SCJI
Dent and Rate Results
TNT PAX-xx

2-in. Steel Dent depth = 0.32 in.

(Steel Plate Hardness Rb = 83)

2-in. Steel Dent depth = 0.31 in.

(Steel Plate Hardness Rb = 84)

Detonation Velocity 6.64 km/s Pour Viscosity = 0.16 kP

Detonation Velocity 7.00 km/s Pour Viscosity = 2.5 kP

Additive A formulated to = TNT performance exhibits Type VI response to the 25mm SCJI
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25mm SCJI
Additional Dent and Rate Results
Comp B Comp B PAX-35 Mod PAX-35 Mod

2-in. Steel Dent depth = 0.43 in. (Steel Plate Hardness Rb = 87) Detonation Velocity 7.56 km/s Pour Viscosity = 0.16 kP

2-in. Steel Dent depth = 0.39 in. (Steel Plate Hardness Rb = 104) Detonation Velocity 7.44 km/s Pour Viscosity = 0.64 kP

Modified PAX-35 with Additive B retains good performance, but exhibits a mild response to the 25mm SCJI
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Combined 25mm SCJI Results

Comp B Comp B

PBXN-110 PBXN-110 TNT TNT PAX-35 Mod PAX-35 Mod

Dense reduced energy Additive B is very promising

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50mm SCJ Impact Test

Default IM SCJ Threat Munition
Pressure Gauges at 10 ft, 15 ft, 20 ft Pressure Gauges at 10 ft, 15 ft, 20 ft

Witness plates in. thick 1ft x 10 in. mild steel witness plate in. thick 2 ft x 2 ft aluminum witness plate

81mm mortar cartridge Nose down Fuse well sealed with Al cap Body is very brittle (HF-1)

MK118 rockeye bomblet (50mm SC) 174 gms comp B 5 gm CH-6 booster

Note: Pressure gauges differentiate shaped charge input from main charge response 13

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TNT 50mm SCJI Test

Partial: full detonation (Type II-I)
Multiple small fragments Al witness plate (top photo) shows damage from fragments Steel witness plate (bottom photo) was damaged High overpressures Peak at 10 ft: 11.90 psi Peak at 15 ft: Peak at 20 ft:
20 18 16 14 12 Pressure, psi 10 8 6 4 2 0 -2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Time,milliseconds

7.44 psi 4.01 psi

Pressure 10' Pressure 15' Pressure 20'

TNT Filled 81mm BLA - Rockeye Shape Charge Test

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Composition B 50mm SCJI Test

Full detonation (Type I)
Multiple small fragments Al witness plate (top photo) shows damage from fragments Steel witness plate (bottom) was shattered High overpressures Peak at 10 ft: lost gauge Peak at 15 ft: 7.06 psi Peak at 20 ft: 4.48 psi
Calc Press 10 15 20 Rockey e 5.45 2.82 1.86 Rockeye + Comp B 17.66 7.74 4.62

81mm Mortar - MK118 Rockeye Bomblet Shape Charge Jet Impact Test Comp B
16 14 12 10 Pressure, psi 8 6 4 2 0 -2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Time,milliseconds

Pressure at 15' Pressure at 20'

Note: Pressure at 10' Lost

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PAX-35 50mm SCJI Test

Deflagration: no reaction (Type IV-VI) Multiple large fragments. Al witness plate (top right); little damage and explosive residue Steel witness plate (top left) intact Explosive residue and fragments from area (left photo) Calc Rockeye Press Low overpressures Peak at 10 ft: 5.38 psi 10 5.45 Peak at 15 ft: 3.05 psi Peak at 20 ft: 2.43 psi
15 20
81mm Mortar - MK118 Rockeye Bomblet Shape Charge Jet Impact Test PAX-xx1a 16 14 12 10 Pressure, psi 8 6 4 2 0 -2 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Time,milliseconds

2.82 1.86

Pressure at 10' Pressure at 15' Pressure at 20'

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Other IM Threats
PAX-35 Response to the Army Fragment Threat

M821A2 E1 Loaded Mortar Body

No Reaction No Reaction
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Conclusion
An IM melt pour explosive has been successfully modified and tested against a major shaped charge threat in a munition without conditioning barriers A basic understanding of SCJI suppression mechanism has been developed Optimization activities will shortly enable practical, fully compliant IM munitions: munitions resistant to all IM threats It is feasible to pass SCJI attack at Composition B performance levels Dense, reduced energy additives desensitize without compromising performance 25mm SCJ is an inexpensive screening tool to assess IM impact threats

The time has come to stop this threat!

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Combined 25mm SCJI Results

PBXN-110 Comp B

TNT

PAX-35 Mod

RPGs will be stopped

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